This application is a U.S. application which claims priority from Swedish Application No. 0101649-2, filed May 10, 2001.
The present invention relates to a scraping tool for removing a coating on a surface. The tool includes a plate with a first scraping edge that is a straight outer edge of the plate.
When scraping off snow and ice layers from car windshields during the winter, it is common to use a hand-held scraping tool that has a scraping edge used to scrape away both snow and ice. Such a scraping tool can include a plate where one or many outer edges function as scraping edges. Some of the different scraping edges have different sharpness. The drawback of the previously known scraping tools is that they require much effort and time to effectively remove both snow and ice from the windshield and the remaining windows of the car. It is therefore common to first scrape off the snow from all the windows and then scrape off the ice by using more pressure or a sharper edge to be able to remove the ice.
One object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved scraping tool to, for example, be able to remove both snow and ice from windshield with only one scraping.
The present invention provides a scraping tool that achieves the above outlined object. The scraping tool include a plate made of plastic or metal. It is preferably shaped like a credit card so that it can easily be stored in a wallet. The plate has a first scraping edge that is a straight outer edge of the plate. The distinguishing features of the present invention are detailed in the subsequent claims.
Thanks to this invention, a scraping tool is provided that, in an excellent way, achieves the above-outlined object. The scraping tool of the present invention is a plate made from plastic or metal. It is preferably shaped in a credit card format so that it can easily fit into a wallet. The plate has a first scraping edge that is a straight outer edge of the plate. The plate has an inner part with a slit defined therein to form a tongue-like element. The element has a straight edge and is bendable when in use. The edge is a second scraping edge that is substantially parallel to the first scraping edge. When the scraping tool is not in use it is thus plate shaped and easy to handle and takes up little space. When it is used, the second scraping edge is bent so that the two substantially parallel scraping edges simultaneously bear against the surface. When a scraping movement is made, the two scraping edges scrape the surface one after the another. In this way, an enhanced scraping effect is achieved that makes it possible to, for example, remove both snow and ice layers with one scraping movement.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an even more effective scraping may be achieved by making the second bendable scraping edge sharper than the first scraping edge. It could be made sharper than conventional scraping tools since conventional tools are prone to injuring the user when the scraping edges are the outer edges of the plate. When removing snow and ice layers from car windshields the first edge removes the snow and the subsequent sharper scraping edge removes the ice layer.
To make the outwardly bending easier of the tongue-like element and to avoid cracking at the end points of the slit, substantially circular openings may be arranged that compensate for any tension.
To make the scraping tool visible in the dark, a portion of the plate may be provided with a reflective surface and even a space for advertisements. The reflective surface makes it possible to use the tool as a conventional reflector because it may be attached to clothes and strollers with the tongue-like element.
As an extra safety feature, the four corners of the plate may be rounded to avoid cutting injuries.
The plate may also be provided with a hole for a key ring and with a magnet to make the scraping tool attachable to a metal surface such as a car or a refrigerator.
The present invention is not limited to be used as an ice scraper. Instead it may be used to remove different types of coatings from different types of surfaces such as wax, paint, frying layers and insects.